Inside pipe cutter



Oenzz, 1940. GWBOWEN 2,219,148`

INSIDE PIPE CUTTER Ott 22, 1940. Q W BOWEN 2,219,148

INSIDE PIPE CUTTER Filed Jan. s. 19:59 2 sheets-sheet 2 faeGEWBan/E/v Patented Oct. 22, 1940 2,219,148v

UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE 2,219,148 INSIDE PIPE CUTTER George W. Bowen, Houston, Tex. i Application January 3, 1939, Serial No. 248,927 9 Claims. (Cl. 164 0.7)

This invention relates to an inside pipe cutter. has the vertical side slots 2 Vcut therein to receive An object of the invention is to provide a pipe the cutters 3. Any selected number of the cut' cutter shaped to enter the pipe stuck in a well ters may be provided, three being shown. At

bore and adapted to cut by rotation with novel their lower ends the cutters have the outwardly 5 means for controlling the feed of the cutters to directed bits 4 which taper to sharp .apeXesL the work. Countersunk into the head I, at the upper ends Another object of the invention is to provide a of the slots 2 are the bearing blocks 5 infwhich novel type of inside pipe cutter with means for the upper ends of the corresponding cutters have mechanically actuating the cutters into cutting ball and socket connections so that their lower relation with the work and with hydraulic conends may swing outwardly and inwardly.

trolling means for controlling the feed of the The upper end of each cutter andthe correcutters. spending block are provided with the respective It is a further object of the invention to pro stops '6, 'I between which are located the coil vide an inside pipe cutter shaped to enter a pipe pressure springs 8, which normally, hold the in a well with novel means for maintaining the cutters retracted, or in their inner positions in 15 cutters retracted while the cutter is being located the slots 2.

in the pipe to be cut and having novel means The lower ends of the cutters have the 4infor releasing the cutters for actuation into cutside, outwardly beveled lfaces 9 for a purpose to ting relation with the pipe. be hereinafter stated.

3Q The invention also embodies novel mechanical AThreaded onto the upper end of the body II 20 means whereby the cutters may be retracted upon there is a tubular housing I0 and `screwed into completion of the cut. the upper end of said housing there is a special It is a further object of the invention to procoupling `II which is attached to the lower end vide novel means for anchoring the tool at a of the 'tubular operating string I2 extending 5 selected place in the pipe for making the cut to the ground surface. Extended axially through 25 and for releasing the tool at will for relocation the body I,l the housing I0 and the coupling II in the pipe, ifdesired, for making another cut. 'there lis' awash pipe I3. In the present illusf- With the above and other objects in View the tration thiswash pipe is formed oitwo sections invention has particular relation to certain no-vel connected by a yspecial coupling I4 forming ka features of construction, operation and arrangeplunger body having the surrounding upper cup 30 ment of parts, an example of which is given in ring lrand thelower cup ring I6 secured on the this specification and illustrated in the accombody by the upper clamp ring I'I and the lower: panying drawings, wherein: clamp ring I8 which are. threaded on to the Figure 1 shows a side elevation, partly in secbody in clamping relation with said cup rings. tion, of the upper end of the tool showing the The open ends of A the cup rings are .directed .35 cutters in inactive position. toward each other as shown more accurately in Flgure 2 ShOWS a Side View, Daitiy in Section, Figure 1; The lower cup ring fits closely within of the lower enhd of the tool showing the cutters the housing m and the upper ringl .fits Closely m I Ylactlve P0S10ny within the inwardly thickened lower end of the 40 Flgule 3 shPWS a fragmentary 51de elevatlon special .coupling I I. It will .therefore be noted 140 partly 1n section, showing the tool anchored in thahthese Cup` rings com-me between them ,a the .pipe to be cut with the cutters in active or high pressure Chamber |9 Within the housing m. `cutting relation with the work. The plunger body I4 and the ,Cup rings as; hle'llrlealggslgssectmnal VleW taken on sembled thereon form a plunger which also serves 45 Figure 5 shows aside elevation of the tool, partu.) 'Coglecule glacnt Seclns Qf lhe ly in section, shown in inactive or non-cutting pme Ve e p unger e coup mg 1s position and further inwardly thickened to vclosely lsurround Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view taken on the Wash pipe and Sealing means 20 is provided the une 6 6 of Figure 2 between the upper end of the washv pipe and Referring now more particularly to the draw- Sad coupling Il, Said vSealing *meansx being e': 50 ings wherein like numerals of reference desigtained inA V2012109 by al glandy 2| Screwed IlQ the nate the same parts in each of the figures, the COllDling lll.. Beneath rthe plunger the `hoils'irwlg numeral I designates the cutter body which is I0 iS inwardly thickened S0 3S t0. CIOSelY Surge..

approximately cylindrical in shape and which round thewash pipe and sealing means;i225L is `55 l provided to form a fluid tight seal at this point between the wash pipe and the housing.

The sealing means 22 is maintained in close fitting relation around the wash pipe by means of a compression ring 23 which is seated on a strong coil spring 24 surrounding the wash pipe and whose lower end in turn is supported on a supporting ring 25 screwed onto the wash pipe beneath, in abutting relation with the upper end of the body I. It will be therefore seen that two low pressure chambers 26, 21 are provided, one within the coupling I I above the plunger and one in the housing HI beneath the plunger.

The plunger has an inside annular, channel 28 which is connected with the chamber 21 by means of the duct 29 and which is connected with the chamber 26 through the space 30 between the upper end of the plunger and the wash pipe;

The high pressure chamber I9 is connected into the channel 28 through a restricted passageway 3|... The rate of downward movement of the body I 4relative to the plunger, as hereinafter explained, willtherefore be controlled by the rate of flow of liquid from the highpressure chamber I9 vthrough the passageway 3| and thence to the lowpressure chambers. The plunger body I4 also has a relatively large duct 32 leading from the low pressure chamber 21 into the high pressure chamber I9 and controlled by a back pressure valve 33. Therefore upon upward movement of the body I, relative to the plunger, the liquid can readily flow from the low pressure chamber 21v into the high pressure chamber I9 offering substantially no kresistance to such relative upward movement. It is to be here noted that the chambers I9, 26, and 21 and the'liqud passageways connecting them are maintained filled with a suitable liquid such as oil.

The lower end of the wash pipe I3 has an 4:) annular, downwardly and inwardly, tapering face 34 and above said face 4has theA external, annular grooves 35. Aligned beneath the respective cutters 3 are the cutter expanders 36 having the inside tenons 31 which fit into said grooves. The

45 upper ends of the cutter expanders are formed withV the downwardly and outwardly tapering faces 38 which engage the corresponding 'faces 9 of the cutters and move the lower ends of the cutters outwardly, upon upward movement of said 5C) expanders, as shown in Figure 3.

`The expanders have the downwardly extended shanks 36a which are reduced-radially in width providing the external, downwardly facing shoulders 39. The slots 2 in the cutter body are eX- tended downwardly and the expanders 36, 36a work in said slots.

The cutter .body I has the vertically, elongated slots 40 through which the tenons of the expanders work, said slots 40 being of sufficient G9 length to permit the required movement of the 70 end thereof there body to expand, and vpermit retraction of, the cutters. Beneath the slots 40 the body l is reduced in diameter forming a downwardly tapering, inside shoulder 4I against which the tapering face 34 of the wash pipe fits, and with which it forms a uid tight seal when the tool is in inactive position, Vas shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5. The body is extended on downwardly forming the tubular extension Ia and threaded on to the lower l is a tubular guide 42 whose lower end is oval so as to readily enter the pipe 43 to be cut. This guide is formed with anexternal, downwardly and outwardly tapering face 44.

Around the body beneath the cutter expanders there is a shroud 45 whose lower end has a downwardly flared face 46 opposite the face 44. Above the shroud 45 there is a slip expander 52 whose upper end ts closely about the shanks 26a of the expanders 36 and between the upper end of said slip expander and the shoulders 39 are the antifriction rings 41, 48. Fastened to the shroud 45 are the outwardly bowed wiper springs 49, preferably three being provided and spaced apart around the tool. These springs frictionally engage the pipe 43 as the tool is moved longitudinally therein. They permit the free longitudinal movement of the tool but have sufficient gripping eiect with the pipe to prevent any substantial rotation of the shroud45 relative to the pipe.

yMounted in the slip expander are the slips 50. These slips have external gripping teeth and their inner sides are upwardly tapered. Their lower ends have dove-tailed connections 5I with the shroud so as to permit their free radial movement. They are mounted in the upwardly flared, external grooves 52a forming guides in the expander 52 so that upon downward movement of the body I, Ia, and the slip expander, relative to the shroud, the slips 50 will be expanded into engagement with the pipe 43 as shown in Figure 3. The slips 50 also have dove-tailed connections with said expander 52 to prevent detachment of the slips. v

The lower end of the shroud has an inside, spiralled, downwardly and inwardly tapering face 53 on which there is mounted a spiralled grapple 54 whose outer side tapers downwardly to conform to the shape of and to fit against the face 53. The lower end of this grapple 54 is attached to the inside ring 55 secured in the lower end of the shroud. The grapple 54 has the inside, upwardly pitched, right hand threads which engage the downwardly pitched, correspondingly spiralled threads 56 on the upwardly extended shank 51 of the guide 42.

When the tool is assembled ready to be lowered into the well the threads of the grapple 54 are in engagement with the threads 56 of the shank 51. The cutter body I,.the housing I0 and the coupling II will therefore be in their upper position relative to the plunger and the cutters 3 will be above the cutter expanders 36, and washing fluid may be circulated down through and back up around the tool.

When the point is reached where it is desired to make a cut the operating string I2 may be turned to the right. The coupling II, the housing I0 and the cutter body I, la will be correspondingly turned, but the shroud 45 will be held against turning by the wiper springs 45. Consequently, the shank 49 will be screwed downwardly relative to the grapple 54 and their intermeshing threads or teeth will eventually be disengaged and as the released assembly moves on downwardly the lguides 52a will expand the slips 50 into engagement with the pipe 43. The cutter expanders will therefore be held against further downwardly movement as will also the wash pipe and'the plunger thereon. As the cutter body moves on downwardly the cutters will accordingly be forced outwardly and upon rotation of the cutter body the bits 4 will gradually penetrate into and eventually sever the pipe to be cut. 4The expanders 36, and wash pipe I3, will rotate with the cutter body The plunger being held stationary, or against downward movement, the weight of the downwardly moving parts will be sustained by the liquid in the high pressureV chamber I9 so that the gmane cutter body and the 'parts supported thereon can move downwardly only in accordance with the leakage of the liquid from said high pressure chamber through the passageway 3| into the lower pressure chamber. 'I'he feed of the cutters to the work will thereby be hydraulically controlled. When the cut has been completed the operating string I2 may be elevated thus elevating the coupling Il, the housing I l] and the body.- The liquid in the low pressure chambers will readily flow through the relatively large channel 32 into the high pressure chamber I9 without retarding said upward movement. The cutters 3, upon such upward movement, will be released from the cutter expanders and will be retracted by the springs 8. The shank 51 of the guide 52 will readily enter the spiralled grapple 54, said grapple expanding to permit the teeth 56 of said shank to ratchet over the inside teeth of the grapple and thereupon said teeth will interengage to hold the body elevated.

Mounted within an inside groove in the slip eX- pander 52 there are the balls 58 and beneath them the extension la' of the cutter body has an external, annular, upwardly facing shoulder 59. Whenfthe cutter body is released from the grapple 54, as hereinabove explained, and relatively lowered. 'I'he slip expander 52 will move downwardly relative to the slips 50 causing the slips to expand and engage the pipe 43 as sho-wn in Figure 3 and thereupon the downward movement of said expander and the cutter expanders thereon will be stopped but the vcutter body and cutters may move on downwardly, as above explained, during the progress of the cutting operation. However, upon resetting the tool, that is, upon upward movement of the cutter body, as hereinabove referred to, when the tapering seat 4| comes into contact with the tapering face 34 of the wash pipe, the upwardly facing shoulder 59 will engage the balls 58 so as to hold the slip expander 52 elevated relative to the slips 58, to prevent premature expansion of said slips, when the tool is in inactive or non-cutting position.

What I claim is:

l. An inside pipe cutter comprising a cutter body adapted to be secured to an operating string, a cutter mounted on the body and movable outwardly into cutting position and inwardly into retracted position, means normally tending to move the cutter to retracted position, cutter actuating means including means associated with the body for moving the cutter outwardly into contact with a pipe upon downward movement of the body, relativ'e to the cutter actuating means, and hydraulic controlling means including a confined body'of liquid controlling the downward movement of the body and the feed of the cutter to the work.

2. An inside pipe cutter comprising a cutter body adapted to be secured to an operating string, a cutter mounted on the body and movable outwardly into cutting position and inwardly into retracted position, cutter actuatingmeans including means associated with the body for moving the cutter outwardly into contact with a pipe upon downward movement of the body, relative to the cutter actuating means, and hydraulic controlling means including a confined body of liquid and means controlling the ilow or the liquid to cause a retarded downward movement of the body and to permit a free upward movement of the body. x

3. An inside pipe cutter comprising a cutter body adapted tobe secured'to ranv operating'string andshaped to enter a pipe to' be cut, a 'cutter' mounted on the body and movable outwardly into cutting relation with the pipe and inwardly into retracted position, cutter 'actuating `means including anchoring means on the body for moving the cutter outwardly into contact with ther cutter on the body movable outwardly intofcutting relation with the pipe and movable inwardly into inactive, or retracted position, cutter 'actuating means including anchoring means associated with the body for moving the cutteroutiwardly into cutting relationA with the pipe `upon downward movement of the body relative to the cutter actuating means, said pipe cutterhav-ing a high pressure chamber and a low pressure chamber, liquid in the chamber, `,means fcontrolling the flow of liquid from chamber to charnber to cause a retarded downward movementfof the body and to permit a relatively free'upward movement of the body, said flow controlling meansA including a wash pipe in the bodyainterlocked with said cutter actuating means.:

5. An inside pipe cutter comprising `a tubular cutter body having longitudinal slots, cutters pivotally mounted in the slots, cutterl expanders slidably mounted in the slotsmeans including slips operatively connected with the tubular Pbody and cutters for actuating the expanders into active position to force the cutters into cutting engagement with a pipe upon downward movement of the body into lower position, an inside upwardly facing annular shoulder on the tubular body adjacent the expanders, a wash pipe axially movable in the tubular body and seated in sealing relation on the annular shoulder in lower position, the wash pipe and the expanders being interlocked to space the wash pipe from the' shoulder to provide a by-pass to the slots for fluid from the wash pipe to the cutters when the body is in ,i

lower position, and a packing between the wash pipe and the tubular body.

6. An inside pipe cutter comprising a tubular cutter body having longitudinal slots, cutters pivotally mounted in the slots, cutter expanders slidably mounted in the slots, means includings slips operatively connected with the tubular body and expanders for actuating the cutters into engagement with a pipe upon downward movement of the body into lower position, an inside upwardly facing annular shoulder on the tubular body adjacent the expanders, a wash pipe axially movable in the tubular body and seated in sealing relation on the annular shoulder in lower position, the wash pipe and the expanders being interlocked to space the wash pipe fromthe shoulder to provide a by-pass to the slots for iiuid from the wash pipe to the cutters, when the body is in upper position, a packing between the wash pipe and tubular body and a yieldable member adapted to urge the wash pipe downwardly with respect to the tubular body to thereby yieldably maintain the cutter expanders in inactive position and the wash pipe seated on the shoulder.

7. An inside pipe cutter comprising a tubular outer body adapted to be secured to an operating string and shaped to enter a pipe to be cut, a cutter on the body movable outwardly into cutting relation with the pipe and movable inwardly into inactive, or retracted, position, cutter actuating means including anchoring means associated with the body for moving the cutter outwardly into cutting relation with the pipe upon downward movement of the body relative to the cutter actuating means, said body-having a passageway leading from the cutter to the interior thereof, a. wash pipe in the body having an operative connection with the cutter actuating means, means forming a seal between the wash pipe and the body to prevent flow of fluid through the passage when the cutters are in inactive position, said wash pipe being movable to open position by said actuating means to provide a by-pass through which the fluid may flow through said passage to the cutter, when in said active position.

8. An inside pipe cutter comprising a tubular outer body adapted to be secured to an operating string and shaped to enter a pipe to be cut, a cutter on the body movable outwardly into cutting relation with the pipe and movable inwardly into inactive, or retracted, positiony cutter actuating means including anchoring means associated with the body for moving the cutter outwardly into cutting relation with the pipe upon down- Ward movement of the body relative to the cutter actuating means, said body having a passageway leading from the cutter to the interior thereof, a Wash pipe in the body having 'an interlocking connection with the cutter actuating means, means forming a seal between the wash pipe and the body to prevent flow of fluid through the passage when the cutters are in inactive position, said wash pipe being movable to open position by said actuating meansto provide a by-pass through which the fluid may ow throughl said passage to the cutterl when in said active position, andvmeans for resiliently resisting said movementk of vthe washpipe toopenposition. Y t l 9.A Apipecutter adapted to cut by rotation in a well and comprising a tubular body whose lower end is reduced forming a tubular extension, said body having longitudinal side slots above the extension, cutters in said slots which are pivoted at the upper end and Whose lower ends are formed with outwardly directed cutting edges, a tubular slip expander on said extension, cutter expanders in said slots having downwardly flared faces and arranged to be actuated by said slip expander, said cutters having beveled inside faces adapted to ride on the ared faces of said cutter expanders to expand the cutters, said slip expander having a downwardly tapering face, a slip positioned on said face and effective to grip a pipe being cut to maintain the slip expander and cutter expanders station-ary whereby the cutters may be rotated into cutting relation upon down- Ward movement of the body and cutters, said body having passageways therethrough and an inside shoulder adjacent the cutters, a wash pipe slidably mounted in the body and having a tapering face adapted to contact said shoulder in sealing relation, means for interlocking the wash pipe with the cutter expanders, a spring acting on the wash pipe and the body which is effective to maintain the cutters and expanders in spaced relation,

and the wash pipe on said shoulder to prevent iiow of cooling fluid from said wash pipe through the passageways to the cutters until the cutter expanders raise the Wash pipe when the cutters are moved into active position by said expanders.

GEORGE W. BOWEN. 

